The governing Liberals maintain a significant advantage over the opposition Conservatives.
Vancouver, BC [May 11, 2026] – Public support for the governing Liberal Party is still high in Canada, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 46% of decided voters across Canada would back the Liberal candidate in their riding in a federal election, up one point since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in February 2026.
The Conservative Party is second with 31% (-1), followed by the New Democratic Party (NDP) with 11% (+1), the Bloc Québécois with 7% (=), the Green Party with 3% (=), the People’s Party with 1% (-1) and other parties and independent candidates with 1% (=).
More than half of decided voters in Ontario (54%) and Atlantic Canada (51%) would vote for the Liberals in a federal election. The governing party is ahead of the Conservatives in British Columbia (44% to 37%) and leads the Bloc in Quebec (44% to 27%). The Conservatives hold a 16-point advantage over the Liberals in Alberta (46% to 30%).
This month, the Liberals are leading the Conservatives among Silent Generation / Baby Boomers (55% to 26%), Generation X (50% to 35%) and Generation Z (40% to 27%). The race is tied among Millennials (37% for each party).
There is no discernible gender gap on voting intention, with the Liberals amassing significant advantages over the Conservatives among men (47% to 30%) and women (46% to 32%).
The economy and jobs is the most important issue facing the country for 22% of Canadians (+1), followed by housing, homelessness and poverty (20%, +2), Canada-U.S. Relations (16%, =), health care (15%, -1) and immigration (8%, -3).
Prime Minister and Liberal leader Mark Carney continues to hold the highest approval rating among all federal leaders at 56% (+1). The numbers remain lower for Conservative and Official Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre (38%, -1), Green leader Elizabeth May (32%, =), NDP leader Avi Lewis (31%), Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet (25%, +2) and People’s Party leader Maxime Bernier (20%, =).
“Practically seven-in-ten Baby Boomers in Canada (69%) approve of Mark Carney’s performance,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Only 30% feel the same way about Pierre Poilievre.”
On the “Preferred Prime Minister” question, Carney maintains a 19-point advantage over Poilievre (45% to 26%).
When Canadians are asked which of the two main party leaders would be the best to handle 11 different issues, Carney is ahead of Poilievre on every single one.
More than two-in-five Canadians prefer Carney over Poilievre to manage foreign affairs (51% to 24%), Canada-U.S. Relations (49% to 28%), national unity (47% to 27%), accountability and leadership (46% to 30%), the economy and jobs (46% to 31%), energy and pipelines (42% to 34%) and the environment (41% to 26%).
Carney holds smaller leads over Poilievre on four other issues: health care (40% to 30%), immigration (40% to 32%), housing, homelessness and poverty (39% to 33%), and crime and public safety (39% to 35%).
Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from May 6 to May 8, 2026, among a representative sample of 1,003 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.
Find our data tables here and download the press release here.
For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca